1898 Social Democratic Party of America Officials The Social Democratic Party maintained its headquarters from an office located at 138 Washington Street, Chicago, IL.
National Secretary Theodore Debs (Indiana) Executive Board: Victor L. Berger (Wisconsin) Jesse Cox (Illinois) --- Chairman Eugene V. Debs (Indiana) Frederic Heath (Wisconsin) Seymour Stedman (Illinois) --- Secretary Editor (The Social-Democratic Herald) A.S. Edwards
1903-04 Socialist Party Officials The annual meeting of the National Committee of the SPA met in St. Louis from Jan. 29-Feb. 1, 1903. The gathering voted to move National Headquarters to Omaha, Nebraska, where it maintained a national office at Rooms 303-304, McCague Building, Omaha, NE. This move was effective Feb. 3, 1903. The party moved to the Boylston Building, located at 269 Dearborn Street, Chicago, about May 1904.
National Executive Secretary William Mailly Assistant Secretary W.E. Clark Representative to International Socialist Bureau Gaylord Wilshire National Quorum
Local Quorum
National Committee The National Committee of this period met once a year in plenary meetings that approximated Party Conventions in function.
1903 State Secretaries
1904-05 Socialist Party Officials The SPA maintained its office in the Boylston Building, located at 269 Dearborn Street, Chicago during this period. The organization handled its business through regular mail referenda to a 49 member National Committee. This proved to be a cumbersome and difficult way to conduct the business of the organization and the system was short-lived.
National Executive Secretary J. Mahlon Barnes (Pennsylvania) J. Mahlon Barnes was elected to succeed William Mailly circa January 1904. National Committee (49) (as of May 1905) The 1905 National Committee acted in the same manner as later "National Executive Committees," handling their motions and voting by mail.
1907-08 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary J. Mahlon Barnes (Pennsylvania) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York) National Executive Committee
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx (xxx) 1907 State Secretaries [ CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST, AS OF OCTOBER 1907 ]
1908-09 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary J. Mahlon Barnes (Pennsylvania) National Executive Committee
J.G. Phelps Stokes (New York)
1908 State Secretaries
1910-11 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary xxx (xxxx) International Secretary xxx (xxxx) National Executive Committee The 1910 election for the National Executive Committee was done by referendum of the membership using a system in which the 27 candidates were to be ranked in order of preference, with the most desireable candidate being assigned "1" and the least desireable candidate "27." Ballots not completely ranking the entire slate were discarded; the seven candidates receiving the lowest total numbers were deemed elected. A total of 10,538 valid ballots were cast.The seven candidates elected(and their total numbers) included:
Victor L. Berger (Wisconsin) -- 122,752 James F. Carey (Massachusetts) -- 135,556 George Goebel (New Jersey) -- 129,615 Morris Hillquit (New York) -- 126,382 Robert Hunter (New York) -- 115,567 Lena Morrow Lewis (California) -- 129,312 John Spargo (Vermont) -- 126,937 Those failing in bids for the NEC included future Socialist Party National Executive Secretaries Adoph Germer and Otto Branstetter, who finished 14th and 15th, respectively.
1914 Socialist Party Officials The Socialist Party maintained its National Office at 803 W Madison Street, Chicago, IL. National Executive Secretary Walter Lanfersiek (Kentucky) International Secretary Kate Richards O'Hare (St. Louis, MO) National Executive Committee (5)
[George Goebel seems to have been replaced by Lewis J. Duncan by the time of the December 12-13, 1914 meeting of the NEC.] James H. Maurer (Reading, PA) J. Stitt Wilson (Berkeley, CA) National Committee (66) The 1914 National Committee met in May in Chicago. The function of the gathering was similar to that of a National Convention. Alabama --- W.M. Doyle (Mobile) Arizona --- W.S. Bradford (Phoenix) Arkansas --- Ida Callery (Fort Smith) California --- N.A. Richardson (San Bernardino) California --- J. Stitt Wilson (Berkeley) Colorado --- J.C. Griffiths (Boulder) Connecticut --- Samuel E. Beardsley (Shelton) Delaware --- Frank A. Houck (Wilmington) District of Columbia --- J. Webb Richman (Washington) Florida --- Franklin Pimbley (Tampa) Georgia --- Al Schwartz (Atlanta) Idaho --- S.W. Motley (Twin Falls) Illinois --- Adolph Germer (Springfield) Illinois --- John C. Kennedy (Chicago) Illinois --- Duncan McDonald (Springfield) Indiana --- SM. Reynolds (Chicago, IL) Indiana --- William Houston (Terre Haute) Iowa --- I.S. McCrillis (Des Moines) Kansas --- George D. Brewer (Girard) Kentucky --- J. Raphaelson (Newport) Louisiana --- W.F. Dietz (Lake Charles) Maine --- Fred E. Irish (Woodfords) Maryland --- Atila E. Hartig (Baltimore) Massachusetts --- Santeri Nuorteva (Fitchburg) Massachusetts --- George E. Roewer, Jr. (Roxbury) Michigan --- Frank Aaltonen (Negaunee) Minnesota --- Aku Rissanen (Smithville) Minnnesota --- T.E. Latimer (Minneapolis) Mississippi --- Ida M. Raymond (Jackson) Missouri --- William L. Garver (Independence) Montana --- Lewis J. Duncan (Butte) Nebraska --- John C. Chase (Omaha) Nevada --- Justus E. Taylor (Reno) New Hampshire --- John P. Burke (Franklin) New Jersey --- George H. Geobel (Newark) New Jersey --- Gordon Demarest (Patterson) New Mexico --- Charles F. Goddard (Carrizozo) New York --- Morris Hillquit (New York City) New York --- George R. Lunn (Schenectady) New York --- U. Solomon (New York City) New York --- Gustave A. Strebel (Syracuse) North Carolina --- William T. Bradford (Winston-Salem) North Dakota --- Arthur LeSueur (Minot) Ohio --- M.J. Beery (Crestline) Ohio --- Tom Clifford (Cleveland) Ohio --- Max S. Hayes (Cleveland) Oklahoma --- H.M. Sinclair (Oklahoma City) Oregon --- John H. Ferguson (Edenbower) Pennsylvania --- Joseph E. Cohen (Philadelphia) Pennsylvania --- Charles W. Erwin (Philadelphia) Pennsylvania --- James A. Maurer (Reading) Pennsylvania --- Robert B. Ringler (Reading) Rhode Island --- E.W. Theinert (Albion) South Carolina --- R.B. Britton (Charleston) South Dakota --- O.S. Leeland (Mitchell) Tennessee --- C.G. Harold (Chattanooga) Texas --- E.R. Meitzen (Hullettsville) Utah --- Jacob E. Gease (Helper) Vermont --- John Spargo (Old Bennington) Virginia --- A.J. Hauser (Newport News) Washington --- Frans Bostrom (Everett) Washington --- Kate Sadler (Seattle) West Virginia --- Edward H. Klintzer (Clarksburg) Wisconsin --- Victor L. Berger (Milwaukee) Wisconsin --- W.R. Gaylord (Milwaukee) Wyoming --- A. Carlson (Sheridan) 1914 State Secretaries [ CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST, AS OF APRIL 1914 ]
1916 SPA Translator-Secretaries of Language Federations Translator-Secretaries were officials of the SPA in charge of communicating with the various foreign language federatons affiliated with the party. One of the primary tasks of these officials was the translation of party communications into the foreign language for publication to the membership and translation of membership communications to the National Office into English -- thus the name of the position.
BOHEMIAN (CZECH) FEDERATION -- Joseph Novak FINNISH FEDERATION -- J.F. Maki FRENCH FEDERATION -- Joseph Ricard GERMAN FEDERATION -- A. Dreifuss HUNGARIAN FEDERATION -- Armin Loewy ITALIAN FEDERATION -- John LaDuca JEWISH FEDERATION -- I.B. Bilin LETTISH (LATVIAN) FEDERATION -- Gerard Bernhard LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- Joseph V. Stilson POLISH FEDERATION -- Roman Mazurkavitz RUSSIAN FEDERATION -- Alexander E. Menson SCANDINAVIAN FEDERATION -- N. Juel Christensen SLOVAK FEDERATION -- Paul Bruchtel SOUTH SLAVIC (SLOVENIAN/CROATIAN) FEDERATION -- Frank Petrich UKRAINIAN FEDERATION -- Jacob Fedushko
1916-17 Socialist Party Officials The Socialist Party maintained its National Office at 803 W Madison Street, Chicago, IL. National Executive Secretary Adoph Germer (Chicago, IL) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York, NY) National Executive Committee Victor L. Berger (Milwaukee, WI) Morris Hillquit (New York, NY) Anna A. Maley (New York, NY) Seymour Stedman (Illinois) By January 1, 1917, Steadman seems to have been replaced by John Spargo of Old Bennington, VT. John M. Work (Chicago) Language Federation Translator-Secretaries (15) BOHEMIAN (CZECH) FEDERATION -- FINNISH FEDERATION -- FRENCH FEDERATION -- GERMAN FEDERATION -- HUNGARIAN FEDERATION -- ITALIAN FEDERATION -- JEWISH FEDERATION -- LETTISH (LATVIAN) FEDERATION -- Otto Purin LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- Joseph V. Stilson POLISH FEDERATION -- RUSSIAN FEDERATION -- Alexander Stoklitsky SCANDINAVIAN FEDERATION -- N. Juel Christensen SLOVAK FEDERATION -- L. Puttner SOUTH SLAVIC (YUGOSLAV) FEDERATION -- UKRAINIAN FEDERATION -- Paul H. Ladan
1918-19 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary Adoph Germer (Illinois) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York) National Executive Committee (15)
Abraham Shiplacoff (New York) Seymour Stedman (Illinois) Alfred Wagenknecht (Ohio)
Language Federation Translator-Secretaries (15) BOHEMIAN (CZECH) FEDERATION -- FINNISH FEDERATION -- Henry Askeli FRENCH FEDERATION -- GERMAN FEDERATION -- HUNGARIAN FEDERATION -- Leo Frankl ITALIAN FEDERATION -- JEWISH FEDERATION -- LETTISH (LATVIAN) FEDERATION -- Otto Purin LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- Joseph V. Stilson POLISH FEDERATION -- Joseph Kowalski RUSSIAN FEDERATION -- Alexander Stoklitsky SCANDINAVIAN FEDERATION -- N. Juel Christensen SLOVAK FEDERATION -- L. Puttner SOUTH SLAVIC (YUGOSLAV) FEDERATION -- George Selakovich
The outgoing National Executive Committee whose term was to end in 1919 set aside the results of the 1919 party elections and continued in office up to the time of the National Emergency Convention held in Chicago on August 30. That Convention named a "Temporary" National Executive Committee which was to serve until the time of the 1920 Convention.
1919-20 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary Otto Branstetter "Temporary" National Executive Committee (7) William M. Brandt (St. Louis, MO) John Hagel (Oklahoma City, OK) William H. Henry (Indianapolis, IN) Edmund T. Melms (Milwaukee, WI) James Oneal (New York, NY) George E. Roewer Jr. (Boston, MA) Oliver C. Wilson (Chicago, IL) Board of Appeals (7) The Board of Appeals was established by the 1919 Convention as a mechanism for checking the arbitrary authority of the Central Executive Committee. This institution (borrowed from the structure of the early Socialist Labor Party) was established to hear charges in cases of suspensions of Federations and state organizations.
Oscar Ameringer (Milwaukee, WI) S. John Block (New York) O.G. Crawford (Pennsylvania) Daniel Hoan (Milwaukee, WI) William F. Kruse (Chicago, Illinois) Jacob Panken (New York, NY)) Eugene Wood (New York)
From the 1920 Convention forward, Socialist Party Officials were to be elected by annual conventions of the organization, generally held in the late spring. Thus the term of office ran from the time between one convention and the next, splitting years. A Board of Appeals was established as a safeguard to the action of the National Executive Committee with regards to suspensions and expulsions.
1920-21 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary Otto Branstetter International Delegates Algernon Lee (New York) Joseph E. Cohen (???) James Oneal (New York) National Executive Committee William M. Brandt (St. Louis, MO) John Hagel (Oklahoma City, OK) William H. Henry (Indianapolis, IN) Bertha H. Mailly (New York, NY) Edmund T. Melms (Milwaukee, WI) James Oneal (Brooklyn, NY) George E. Roewer Jr. (Boston, MA) Alternates: Thompson, Tucker, Stephens, Stump, Plunkett, Toole, Solomon. Board of Appeals Jacob Panken, Chairman (New York, NY) S. John Block, Secretary (New York, NY) Oscar Ameringer (Milwaukee, WI() O.G. Crawford (Pennsylvania) Daniel Hoan (Milwaukee, WI) William F. Kruse (Chicago, IL) Eugene Wood (New York)
1921-22 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary Otto Branstetter National Executive Committee William M. Brandt (Missouri) Julius Gerber (New York) William Henry (Indiana) Lillith Martin (Indiana) James H. Maurer (Pennsylvania) Edmund T. Melms (Wisconsin) James Oneal (New York) Language Federation Translator-Secretaries FINNISH FEDERATION -- ITALIAN FEDERATION -- JEWISH SOCIALIST ALLIANCE -- LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- YUGOSLAV FEDERATION --
1922-23 Socialist Party Officials Elected by the April-May 1922 Cleveland Convention. National Executive Secretary Otto Branstetter Otto Branstetter submitted his resignation at the Feb. 24-25, 1923 meeting of the National Executive Committee, to take effect not later than the 1923 annual convention of the party. He stayed at his post until 1924, however, with Bertha Hale White serving as "Assistant Executive Secretary" until she assumed the full post on Feb. 9, 1924.
National Executive Committee Victor L. Berger (Wisconsin) William H. Henry (Indiana) Morris Hillquit (New York) James H. Maurer (Pennsylvania) Edmund T. Melms (Wisconsin) George E. Roewer Jr. (Massachusetts) B. Charney Vladeck (New York) Birch Wilson (Pennsylvania) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York) International Delegates Victor L. Berger (Wisconsin) Morris Hillquit (New York) Language Federation Translator-Secretaries FINNISH FEDERATION -- ITALIAN FEDERATION -- JEWISH SOCIALIST ALLIANCE -- LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- YUGOSLAV FEDERATION --
1923-24 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary (until Feb. 9, 1924) Otto Branstetter Otto Branstetter submitted his resignation as National Executive Secretary for a second time on Feb. 1, 1924, effective at the National Executive Committee meeting of February 9. He was replaced in the role by Bertha Hale White, formerly the "Assistant National Executive Secretary" of the party.
National Executive Secretary (from Feb. 9, 1924) Bertha Hale White (Chicago, IL) National Executive Committee Eugene V. Debs (Terre Haute, IN) William M. Brandt (St. Louis, MO) Leo M. Harkins (Philadelphia, PA) Morris Hillquit (New York, NY) Edmund T. Melms (Milwaukee, WI) William R. Snow (Chicago, IL) Birch Wilson (Buffalo, NY) National Director, YPSL Albert Weisbord (Boston, MA) Language Federation Translator-Secretaries FINNISH FEDERATION -- A.N. Reivo ITALIAN FEDERATION -- JEWISH SOCIALIST ALLIANCE -- LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- YUGOSLAV FEDERATION -- Charles Pogorelec
1924-25 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary Bertha Hale White (Chicago, IL) National Chairman Eugene V. Debs (Terre Haute, IN) National Executive Committee Victor L. Berger (Milwaukee, WI) John M. Collins (Chicago, IL) Leo M. Harkins (Philadelphia, PA) Morris Hillquit (New York, NY) James H. Maurer (Harrisburg, PA) George E. Roewer, Jr. (Boston, MA) Joseph W. Sharts (Dayton, OH) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York, NY) National Director, YPSL Albert Weisbord (Boston, MA) -- through Nov. 1924 Aarne J. Parker (Fitchburg, MA) --after Nov. 1924 Aarne J. Parker was designated the acting National Director of the Young People's Department via a November 1924 action of the NEC of the Socialist Party. He was formally voted in by the next regular convention of the YPSL and this decision reconfirmed by the NEC in January 1925.
Language Federation Translator-Secretaries BOHEMIAN (CZECH) FEDERATION -- FINNISH FEDERATION -- ITALIAN FEDERATION -- JEWISH SOCIALIST ALLIANCE -- LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- YUGOSLAV FEDERATION --
1925-26 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary Bertha Hale White Bertha Hale White resigned her position on Nov. 4, 1925 and was replaced by George Kirkpatrick on a temporary basis.
Acting National Executive Secretary George Kirkpatrick International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York) National Executive Committee Eugene V. Debs (Indiana) -- chairman Victor L. Berger (Wisconsin) John M. Collins (Illinois) Leo M. Harkins (Pennsylvania) Morris Hillquit (New York) James H. Maurer (Pennsylvania) George E. Roewer Jr. (Massachusetts) Joseph W. Sharts (Ohio) Language Federations BOHEMIAN [CZECH] SOCIALIST FEDERATION -- James Brantner (Cicero, IL) FINNISH SOCIALIST FEDERATION -- William N. Reivo (Fitchburg, MA) ITALIAN SOCIALIST FEDERATION -- V. Buttis (Chicago, IL) JEWISH SOCIALIST ALLIANCE -- N. Chanin (New York, NY) LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- Paul Miller (Chicago, IL) YUGOSLAV FEDERATION -- Charles Pogorelec (Chicago, IL) Seven regional weekend conventions of the Socialist Party were during the summer of 1925 in an effort to revitalize the party organization: Cleveland (May 30-31); Minneapolis (June 20-21); St. Louis (July 4-5); Los Angeles (July 25-26); San Francisco (Aug. 1-2); Chicago (Aug 29-30); and New York (Sept. 19-20).
National Director, YPSL Aarne J. Parker (Fitchburg, MA)
1925 State Secretaries [ CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST, AS OF MAY 1925 ]
1926-28 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary William H. Henry National Chairman (until Oct. 20, 1926) Eugene V. Debs (Indiana) Debs died on Oct. 20, 1926; his largely ceremonial position of "Chairman" of the party was then filled by Victor L. Berger. National Chairman (after Oct. 20, 1926) Victor L. Berger (Wisconsin) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York) National Executive Committee (7) Victor L. Berger (Wisconsin) James D. Graham (Montana) Morris Hillquit (New York) James Oneal (New York) Joseph W. Sharts (Ohio) William R. Snow (Illinois) William J. Van Essen (Pennsylvania) National Director, Young People's Department Aarne J. Parker (Massachusetts) Language Federation Translator-Secretaries BOHEMIAN FEDERATION -- FINNISH FEDERATION -- ITALIAN FEDERATION -- JEWISH SOCIALIST ALLIANCE -- LITHUANIAN FEDERATION -- YUGOSLAV FEDERATION --
1928-30 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary (until Aug. 15, 1929) William H. Henry William H. Henry resigned as National Secretary in May 1929. He was replaced on August 15, 1929, by the 27 year old Clarence O. Senior.
National Executive Secretary (from Aug. 15, 1929) Clarence O. Senior
National Chairman (until Aug. 7, 1929) Victor L. Berger (Wisconsin) Death of Victor L. Berger died Aug. 7, 1929, from injuries suffered after being struck by a streetcar. Berger was 69 years old at the time of his death. National Chairman (after Aug. 7, 1929) Morris Hillquit (New York) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York) National Director, Young People's Department Aarne J. Parker (Massachusetts) National Executive Committee (Seven members, in addition to Chairman Berger and International Secretary Hillquit) Daniel W. Hoan (Wisconsin) James H. Maurer (Pennsylvania) Jasper McLevy (Connecticut) James Oneal (New York) George E. Roewer Jr. (Massachusetts) (Roewer subsequently left the NEC and was replaced by Alfred Baker Lewis.) Joseph W. Sharts (Ohio) Lillith Wilson (Pennsylvania)
1930-32 Socialist Party Officials National Executive Secretary Clarence O. Senior
National Chairman Morris Hillquit (New York) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York) National Chairman, Young People's Socialist League of America Julius Umansky (xxxx) National Executive Committee (8) Meta Berger (Wisconsin) Danial Hoan (Wisconsin) Alfred Baker Lewis (Massachusetts) James H. Maurer (Pennsylvania) Jasper McLevy (Connecticut) -- old guard James Oneal (New York) -- old guard Joseph W. Sharts (Ohio) -- old guard Lilith M. Wilson (Pennsylvania) -- old guard
1932-34 Socialist Party Officials Elected by the 17th National Convention, Milwaukee, May 1932. National Executive Secretary Clarence O. Senior
National Chairman (until Oct. 7, 1933) Morris Hillquit (New York) Morris Hillquit died on October 7, 1933. He was succeeded in the ceremonial role of National Chairman by Leo Krzycki. National Chairman (after Oct. 7, 1933) Leo Krzycki (Wisconsin) International Secretary Morris Hillquit (New York) National Chairman, Young People's Socialist League of America xxx (xxxx) National Executive Committee (10) Albert Sprague Coolidge (Massachusetts) -- militant James Graham (Montana) -- m.o.r. anti-old guard Powers Hapgood (Indiana) -- militant Daniel Hoan (Wisconsin) -- m.o.r. anti-old guard Darlington Hoopes (Pennsylvania) -- m.o.r. anti-old guard Leo Krzycki (Wisconsin) -- militant Jasper McLevy (Connecticut) -- old guard John C. Packard (California) -- old guard Norman Thomas (New York) -- m.o.r. anti-old guard Lilith Wilson (Pennsylvania) -- old guard
1934-36 Socialist Party Officials Elected by the 18th National Convention, Cleveland, May 1934. National Executive Secretary Clarence O. Senior
National Chairman Leo Krzycki (Wisconsin) International Secretary xxx (xxx) National Chairman, Young People's Socialist League of America xxx (xxxx) National Executive Committee (10) Albert Sprague Coolidge (Massassachusetts) -- militant Franz Daniel (xxx) -- militant James Graham (Montana) -- m.o.r. anti-old guard Powers Hapgood (Indiana) -- militant Daniel Hoan (Wisconsin) -- m.o.r. anti-old guard Darlington Hoopes (Pennsylvania) -- m.o.r. anti-old guard Maynard Krueger (Wisconsin?) -- militant James Oneal (New York) -- old guard Michael Shadid (Oklahoma) -- militant Norman Thomas (New York) -- m.o.r. anti-old guard This page (a work in progress) constructed by Tim Davenport. Please contact me with corrections or questions.
